Absorption concentration or full concentration from apeti to fix, is the concentration existing during absorption jhāna, whilst the neighbourhood or access-concentration upacāra samādhi only approaches the 1st absorption without attaining it

'conditions of welfare' lit. of non-decline, for a nation. Seven such conditions are mentioned in the Mahā-Parinibbāna Sutta D. 16. They are followed by five sets of 7, and one set of 6 conditions, conducive to the welfare of the Community of Bhikkhus, the Sangha. Identical texts at A. VII, 20-25. To be distinguished from the preceding term.

'incapable of relapse', or 'of falling away', namely, with regard to deliverance from some or all mental chains of existence see: samyojana. Thus all Noble Disciples are called, i.e. all those who have attained any of the 4 noble paths to Nobility. With regard to the absorption jhanas, anyone is called 'unrelapsable' who has attained full mastery over the absorptions.

'gradual instruction', progressive teaching; given by the Buddha when it was necessary to first prepare the listener's mind before speaking to him on the advanced teaching of the Four Noble Truths. The stock passage e.g. D. 3; D 14; M. 56 runs as follows:

Then the Blessed One gave him a gradual instruction - that is to say, he spoke on generosity dāna, on morality sīla and on the heavens sagga, he explained the danger, the loss and the depravity of sensual pleasures, and the advantage of renunciation. When the Blessed One perceived that the listener's mind was prepared, pliant, free from obstacles, elevated and lucid; then he explained to him that exalted teaching particular to the Buddhas Buddhānam sāmukkamsikā, that is: Suffering, its cause, its ceasing, and the path.

The 9 'successive ceasings', are the 8 ceasings reached through the 8 absorptions Jhanas and the ceasing of feeling and perception' see: nirodha-samāpatti, as it is said in A. IX, 31 and D. 33:

In him who has entered the 1st absorption, the sensual-perception kāma-saññā are extinguished. Having entered the 2nd absorption, thought-conception and discursive thinking vitakka-vicāra are extinguished. Having entered the 3rd absorption, joy pīti is extinguished. Having entered the 4th absorption, in-and-out breathing assāsa-passāsa are extinguished. Having entered the sphere of Infinite space ākāsānañcāyatana, the perception of forms rūpa-saññā are extinguished. Having entered the sphere of Infinite consciousness viññānañcāyatana, the perception of the sphere of Infinite space is extinguished. Having entered the sphere of nothingness ākiñcaññāyatana, the perception of the sphere of Infinite consciousness is extinguished. Having entered the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception neva-saññā-nāsaññāyatana the perception of the sphere of nothingness is extinguished. Having entered the ceasing of perception and feeling saññā-vedayita-nirodha perception and feeling are extinguished.

'adaptation-knowledge' or conformity-knowledge, is identical with the 'adaptation-to-truth knowledge', the last of 9 insight-knowledges vipassanā-ñāna which constitute the purification of knowledge and vision of the path-progress' see: visuddhi VI, 9. Cf. Vis.M XXI.

'adaptation-moment of consciousness', denotes the third of the 4 moments of impulsion javana flashing up immediately before either reaching the absorptions jhāna or the supra-mundane paths see: ariya-puggala. These 4 moments of impulsion are: the preparation parikamma, access upacāra, adaptation anuloma and change-of-lineage gotrabhū moments.

Perception of impermanence, is defined in the Girimananda Sutta A.X. 60 as meditation on the impermanence of the five clusters of clinging:

Though, with a faithful heart, one takes refuge in the Buddha, his Dhamma-Teaching and the Sangha Community of Bhikkhus; or with a faithful heart observes the rules of morality, or develops a mind full of loving-kindness, far more advantageous is it if one cultivates the perception of impermanence, be it only for a moment A.X. 20. See A. VI, 102; A. VII, 48; Ud. IV, 1; S. XXII, 102.